Any level of saxophone player, from beginner to intermediate to professional, should find the best possible sax to fit their budget. High quality horns will provide years of playing enjoyment, provide excellent sound and tone, and will hold up to practice, rehearsal, gigs, concerts and shows.
Whether you’re shopping for your first saxophone or you’re looking to step up to a new or better instrument, here are the top 7 brands of saxophones you should consider:
- Yamaha – Yamaha is known world-wide for producing a wide range of high quality instruments. Their saxophones certainly live up to that reputation. One great thing about Yamaha saxes is that they’ll invest significant research and development to make exceptional professional instruments, and carry through the design elements all the way to their student horns, meaning you can get professional-level sound on a beginner instrument.
- Selmer Paris – this brand is part of a legendary instrument manufacturer that’s been making saxophones since 1922. The Selmer Mark VI continues to be a coveted vintage instrument around the world. Today they make a range of saxophones to fit every style and level of player. The instruments continue to be hand-crafted in Paris with the fourth generation of Selmer family members leading the company.
- Jupiter – Jupiter, part of KHS Musical Instruments, produces a wide range of brass and woodwind instruments that are especially popular in school music programs and marching bands. Jupiter saxophones are durable, affordable and sound great! If you’re looking for a reliable beginner or intermediate saxophone, Jupiter is worth a look.
- Eastman / Andreas Eastman – generally aimed at the professional sax player, Eastman horns offer a big, warm sound, plus modern key action with fantastic overall response and intonation. The brand’s 52nd Street style (alto, tenor and soprano) is an exceptionally responsive horn in all registers and produces a big, fat sound with precise intonation. A larger bell and rolled-style tone holes contribute to the sound qualities of this instrument that many compare to some of the great vintage horns of the past.
- Keilworth – a German brand that has been producing saxophones since 1925, Keilworth horns are known for their bold and distinctive sound, durability and consistent performance. This brand also generally caters to the professional player and is especially well-known in the jazz genre.
- Yanagisawa – this Japanese brand exclusively manufacturers saxophones and has been doing so since just after WWII. They offer the full complement of saxophones including the alto, tenor, bari and soprano. Yanagisawa saxes are known for attention to detail, such as octave rockers, mother of pearl touches and blue-steel needle springs.
Affordable sa
While the brands listed above produce incredible instruments, they may be out of your budget range, especially if you’re a beginner or if you’re a music educator looking to purchase for your school music program.
Here are two affordable, but high quality, saxophone brands to check out:
Allora – Allora offers student series (beginner), Vienna series (intermediate) and Paris series (professional) horns to suit all levels of players. Combining features that enhance the sound with features that enhance durability, Allora horns will provide years of service and enjoyment at a value price.
Etude – Etude is a great horn for beginner saxophonists, built with durability and ease of playability in mind. Providing a student with a brand-new instrument of their own will inspire pride of ownership, which inspires practice, which leads to success.